First consider the expression for: Take the product of $-3$ and $x$ and add $-8$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $-2$ and the product of $-2$ and that expression.
Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $-3$ and $x$ $-3 \times x = \color{orange}{-3x}$ What does adding $-8$ to $-3x$ do? $-3x$ $ - 8$ What is the quantity of $-2$ times that expression $-2 \times (-3x - 8) = \color{orange}{-2(-3x-8)}$ What is the sum of $-2$ and $\color{orange}{-2(-3x-8)}$ $-2(-3x-8)$ $ - 2$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $-2(-3x-8)-2$.